Revered View

I know that my view of Salisbury Cathedral will never reach the dizzy heights of that just achieved by the lost painting created by the 19th century artist John Constable by the London fine art auctioneers Sothebys.
 
The renowned view of Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Meadow, painted by the great artist in 1831 is well recognized, and the newly discovered work which has been authenticated as one of the preparatory paintings has just sold for a whopping £3.5 million.
 
My Polaroid Blipfoto this afternoon captures the same magical view and is one of my favourite images of the city, and though it lacks the dimension of foliage on the trees which is possible from the Spring onwards, it is still essentially the view that captivated the artist 184 years ago.
 
Mind you, my capturing the scene on an iPhone demanded much less skill, other than an eye for artistic beauty and a helping of Photoshop,  than that displayed by Constable all those years ago.
 
But coming right up to date, for the first time since 1986, all the scaffolding has been removed from the public side of Salisbury Cathedral as a 32-year long, programme of renovation reaches its final stage.
 
The Cathedral plans to take a leading role in this year’s celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. The foundation stones were laid in the year 1220.
 
The incomparable tower and spire were added between 1300 and 1320 and since the late 16th century has been the tallest in England.
 

Perhaps my image of the cathedral from the meadows will never command the same respect as the famous artist, but it remains one of my favourite Blips.